Helleborus plant named ‘LEM 100’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘LEM 100’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; freely flowering habit; single red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus niger×(Helleborus×hybridus).

Cultivar denomination: ‘LEM 100’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger×(Helleborus×hybridus) and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LEM 100’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program in Beaumont le Hareng, France. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform Helleborus plants with unique leaf and flower coloration and pest resistance.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Beaumont le Hareng, France in February, 1993 of an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus niger, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus×hybridus, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Beaumont le Hareng, France in February, 1995.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Beaumont le Hareng, France since February, 1996 has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LEM 100’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LEM 100’ as a new and distinct Helleborus plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Single red purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the parent selections, plants of the new Helleborus are more uniformly mounded and are more freely flowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborus niger×Helleborus lividus ‘COSEH 710’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,063. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Beaumont le Hareng, France, plants of the new Helleborus differed from plants of ‘COSEH 710’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus were more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of ‘COSEH 710’.     -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus started flowering in January         whereas plants of ‘COSEH 710’ started flowering in December.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LEM 100’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LEM 100’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in two-liter containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14 months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus hybridus ‘LEM 100’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling             selection of Helleborus niger, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling             selection of Helleborus×hybridus, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two months at 12° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             months at 4° C. to 15° C.         -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; white to brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright and mounding plant habit with flowers held above the             foliar plane; plant shape is flattened globular; low to             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 39.3 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged alternately in a basal rosette;             leaves palmately compound with about five leaflets per leaf.         -   Leaf length.—About 16.3 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 19.3 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 9.9 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 5.3 cm.         -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; orbicular to reniform in outline.         -   Leaflet shape.—Obovate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaflet margin.—Distally, serrate; proximally, entire.         -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 144A. Fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Between 147A and N189A; venation, close to 144A to 144B.             Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 187A to 187B. Petioles: Length: About             11.8 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 143C; towards the base, densely dotted with close             to 187B to 187C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single-type rotate flowers arranged             in terminal and axillary panicles; freely flowering habit             with typically about two to three open flowers per panicle             and about 16 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             outwardly to drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten             months after planting; plants flower from winter to early             spring in Germany.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers             persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 157A heavily tinged with close             to 184C to 184D.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7.4 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.7 cm.         -   Petals.—Transformed into nectaries. Quantity: About eleven.             Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Flattened             tubular. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 143C and 144B; towards the apex,             close to 145B to 145C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 152B; towards the apex, close to 154B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 4.2 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape:             Broadly ovate to nearly orbicular. Apex: Obtuse to rounded.             Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to NN155B heavily tinged with close to 71B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 69B heavily tinged             with close to 70B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 70B; color becoming closer to 186A to 186B with             development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 19.5 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 25° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D             heavily dotted with close to 187C to 187D especially towards             the base.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect: About 30° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D             heavily dotted with close to 187C to 187D especially towards             the base.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:             About 100. Filament length: About 1.6 cm. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length:             About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 154C to 154D. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 5D. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: About five. Pistil length: About             1.2 cm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to             155A. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style color: Close to             186A. Ovary color: Close to 150C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Helleborus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, high     temperatures of about 35° C. and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Helleborus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘LEM 100’ as illustrated and described. 